Take Charge of Your Life!

Month: April 2018

Whether it’s covering someone’s vacation or helping out during the busy holiday season, a temporary job can serve many purposes:

Provide extra income

Offer experience to boost your resume

Teach you new skills

Fill in gaps in employment

Give you an opportunity to help others

To find these temporary positions, you can partner with an employment agency, ask friends and family, or simply check out job listings. During the holidays many companies seek out extra workers to help them get through the busy season. But year-found you can find opportunities to cover associates who are out, help with special projects, or provide additional coverage for busy times. You can also create your own temporary jobs by finding a need and filling it (i.e. odd jobs such as yard clean-up, painting, etc.).

Depending on your availability, options may be limited. Retail is a popular choice, as it offers wide availability when it comes to hours. Chances are pretty high that you can find something that will work with whatever job or family obligations you already have. But there are plenty of other options, as well. Below are some ideas depending on your skills or time of year:

Winter

Retail – holiday rush

Shoveling / Snow removal

Spring

Yard clean-up / Landscaping

Summer

Landscaping

Pool set-ups

Lifeguarding

Summer camps

Fall

Retail – Halloween seasonal

Yard clean-up / Landscaping

Gutter cleaning

Year-round Ideas

Computer/technical assistance

Office assistance

House, garage, or yard cleaning

Construction

Painting

Babysitting

Housesitting

Petsitting

Delivering newspapers or phone books

Of course what you’re qualified for and what is available will vary widely depending on your skill set and where you’re located. Keep your eyes and mind open to come up with more ideas or find an opportunity that works for you.

“It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.” ~William Ernest Henley

Simply put, we have control over our own lives. Regardless of what gets thrown at us, it’s up to us to interpret what has happened, determine our reaction to it, and then act as we deem appropriate. Depending on how we decide to act, our lives can go in very different directions.

That is why despite setbacks we are still able to succeed. Everyone has bad stuff happen. Everyone has to deal with disappointment, frustration, and tragedy. And yet many are still able to succeed. Many are still able to excel. At the same time, others let the experiences weigh on them, festering and multiplying. The moral? It’s not the experiences that determine how we end up. It is how we act that determines if these experiences will keep us down or offer opportunity for improvement. Will we rise to the challenge or let them sink us?

Groups and organizations fall into all kinds of categories — and many of them focus on helping children. If you want to make a difference in a child’s life, there are plenty of opportunities available.

For a permanent — or at least long-term — impact, you can look into adoption or foster parenting, both of which we’ve discussed previously. Another option is being a big brother or big sister. That means forming a relationship with a child in need of positive influences. To learn more about the Big Brother / Big Sister program, visit their website.

Short-term impacts can take on many forms: volunteering, donating, mentoring, coaching, and more. For volunteer opportunities, reach out to organizations in your community such as hospitals, schools, and libraries. You can read to kids; help them with their school work; deliver gifts, foods, etc. to sick kids; become a teacher’s aide; help organize programs, events, and fundraisers; babysit; and much more.

Mentoring and coaching take this one step farther. In addition to helping the children, you’re teaching them valuable skills that have a lasting effect, such as teamwork, self confidence, leadership, and more.

One important thing to remember when working with children is that these are just kids — meaning they’re still vulnerable and impressionable. Your actions can have a greater effect than they would with adults, simply because of this. Children will look to you for guidance and knowledge, and how you handle that can determine how those children view you, other adults, and the world.

Working with children requires patience and understanding, especially if you’re working with kids who have had to deal with traumatic events, such as illness, abuse, poverty, and homelessness. These events can have created emotional and physical scarring that can affect a child’s personality and actions. But while these scars can make it difficult to get through to a child, your guidance can have a much greater impact because of them.

If you want to help children, but lack the time or understanding to volunteer or mentor, you can also consider donating. The organizations that help kids need money to continue, and they often rely on donations to fund some or all of their projects. Find an organization whose mission you can support and give as freely as you can.

Keeping track of how you’re advancing in your health goals can not only keep you motivated to keep going but can also ensure the actions you’re taking are having the desired effects.

General goals can be difficult to quantify, so if your goal is to “get healthier,” you may want to break that goal into specific steps and smaller goals. Some suggestions? Lose weight (with a specific target weight), eat better (with specific goals such as cutting out sweets or eating more vegetables), start and maintain a fitness routine, get blood pressure or cholesterol under control, etc.

If your goal is to lose weight, monitoring your progress is easy: just weight yourself. But if you’re working out while you’re losing weight, the simple number can be deceiving. As a result, you may want to calculate your body fat and measurements as well. That way you know if you’re losing fat weight even as you’re gaining muscle weight.

To monitor eating or workout habits, try keeping a journal. Keep track of what you eat, when you work out — and even what actions encourage what you eat or when you work out (i.e. eating junk food when stressed, working out when angry, etc.). Knowing what you do and why you do it can help guide you in your actions and help you modify your thinking and doing so you’re successful in your ultimate goal.

To monitor your progress when it comes to medical concerns, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and certain diseases and disorders, you will likely need to partner with your doctor. He or she can order tests and help you stay on track with medications, dietary restrictions, and other guidelines. Your doctor can also give you guidance in what your ultimate goal should be and how to not only reach it but keep yourself there.

If you’re having difficulty conceiving, or you want to open your heart and home to one of the thousands of children looking for a family, adoption can be a wonderful way to add to your life.

Adoption is not to be taken lightly. If the child is older, he or she may have special needs or emotional scarring from previous experiences. And regardless of the age of the child, he or she needs love, support, and care — for life. Taking a child into your family means being there for him or her and providing for that child physically and emotionally. Adoption can also be expensive, and the wait time for a child can be lengthy, especially if you’re looking for a newborn.

That being said, adoption — like any other method of becoming a parent — can be a worthwhile, rewarding experience. But there’s a lot involved in the adoption process. Do a search on Google for “adoption resources” and you’ll be bombarded with websites full of information and support. Before getting overwhelmed, get started by asking yourself some questions:

Am I capable of raising a child?

Do I have the necessary income to support a child? Can I afford the adoption process fees?

What age child am I looking for? Race? Nationality?

Do I want to adopt from my own country or abroad?

Am I willing to adopt a child with special needs?

Am I willing to adopt siblings or do I just want a single child?

Do I want to be a foster parent with the intent to adopt, or do I only want to adopt directly?

And these are just the beginning. To really get you started, check out Adoption.com for more information and guidance in the adoption process. While it can be lengthy, if you’re willing to take on the time and expense involved, you can be matched with a child to love and welcome into your family.

Having a savings account can serve many uses. It can offer a cushion by way of emergency savings. It can help you put money aside for periodic but irregular bills, such as heating oil. Or it can help you save up for an expected future expense, such as a vacation, new car, or new appliance.

If you’re like me, you probably find that money disappears way too quickly. Between bills and everyday expenses, there just doesn’t seem to be enough. So how can you have any hopes of putting some aside for long-term saving?

If money is tight, it’s not easy. But there are some steps you can take to make it a little easier. Here are some tips that can help get you started:

Set up an automatic transfer from your checking account into a savings account. When it’s automatic, you have no choice but to put that money aside. Just make sure to record it in your checkbook so you don’t forget about it and overdraw your account!

Instead of paying with a debit or credit card, pay cash. And only pay with bills. Whenever you get change, put it aside in a piggy bank. You’d be surprised how quickly change can add up.

Some banks will let you set up your accounts so whenever you make a payment, the bank automatically rounds up and withdraws the whole dollar amount. The difference between the actual payment and the withdrawal amount goes into a savings account.

When you go grocery shopping, pay with a debit card and get cash back. But instead of spending that cash, put it aside. It doesn’t have to be a lot to add up quickly.

Set a budget for purchases such as groceries or clothes. Then, do your best to spend well under the budget. Put the difference in a savings account.

There are countless other ways to save money, and the most important part is to find something that works for you. Trial and error can help you. And you may find that you have to dip into your savings periodically if money is especially tight. Keep your eye on the long-term goal, and don’t beat yourself up over short-term setbacks. It will get easier, and saving will become second nature over time.

In the last Career post, we touched briefly on starting your own business. Specifically, what questions to ask yourself. In this post, we’ll go into more details so you can decide if owning your own business is right for you.

When you’re sitting at your current job, ticked off at your boss, frustrated at your measly paycheck, and tired of the tedious tasks, it can be tempting to get away from it all and become your own boss, with your own rules. But before you decide to make that leap, you need to decide if it’s really the right step for you.

Entrepreneurs tend to have many similar traits that serve them well in their careers. Among these traits are a drive to succeed, the ability to self-motivate, creativity, and willingness to think “outside the box.” If you’re missing some or all of these qualities, you may still be able to successfully run your own business, but the journey may be a bit more difficult. Having the passion for what you decide to do, however, can outweigh just about anything.

If you decide that starting a business is the right choice for you, you’ll next need to decide what it is you want to do. This can be based on a talent or a passion or both, but make sure that whatever you decide holds your interest enough that you’re willing to stick with it in the long-term. If you lose interest after a short while, your business is not likely to succeed. Passion for what you’re doing can keep you going, but lack of passion can dwindle your chances of success.

Another thing to keep in mind is the money factor. Regardless of what you decide to do, chances are pretty slim that you’ll bring in a lot of money right off the bat. You need to be mentally and physically prepared for the lack of funds in the beginning. There will be a lot of expenses and not much income, and you’ll still have living expenses not related to the business, as well. Think about cutting back expenses or building your savings — or, most likely, both — before making the business your primary source of income.

As a reminder, here are other questions to ask yourself, as indicated in the previous post:

Will you work by yourself, or will you need partners or employees?

How will you get paid?

Where will start-up money come from? Will you need a loan?

Will you work out of your home, or will you need a physical location? How will you pay for the associated expenses?

How will you let the world know about your business? Who is your clientele?

How will you deal with customer/client concerns?

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you’ll likely keep adding to it as you go. You don’t need to have all the answers right away, but the more research and preparation you can be beforehand, the most likely you are to be successful. Many have gone before you, but success is not guaranteed. Think long and hard about your choices and the path you want to take. And good luck! Owning your own business is not easy!

“You have to count on living every single day in a way you believe will make you feel good about your life — so that even if it were over tomorrow, you’d be content with yourself.” ~Jane Seymour

I love this concept, but it’s definitely easier said than done. Bills get in the way, obligations pop up, and it’s easy to put off the things we want or are meant to do. Dreams get brushed aside. Life becomes more about what we have to do, even if it holds no real meaning for us.

That’s why it’s so important to take charge of your life now, instead of waiting. No one knows how much time they have. And even if you did, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy your life? I’d like to think that when my team has come, I had reached my potential. That I had led a fulfilling, satisfying life. Heck, at the end of each day I’d like to think I had a day I could be proud of.

Now I’m not saying to ignore those things that have to get done. I certainly can’t. But if we can somehow find a balance, so that we can be happy with the results of each day and each week and each month, then perhaps we can really start to feel good about our lives. And that’s what it’s really all about.

Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. And even among those who are, many will go through a difficult time that makes them incapable of caring for their children. As such, there are a lot of kids out there in need of loving homes. Not all will be a permanent need — some will be temporary. If you think you’d like to open your heart and home to one or more of these children, you may want to look into foster parenting.

Requirements to qualify to be a foster parent vary from state to state. Contact your local Department of Children and Families to get more information. You’ll need to apply to be considered and go through a screening process to verify that you’re a responsible adult capable of caring for a child. If you would like to adopt a child through the foster care program, notify the department so they can pair you with children who are more likely to require adoption rather than temporary care.

Some locations offer a monetary stipend to help care for the children you’re responsible for, but don’t let that be the deciding factor. Though not permanent, foster parenting is very demanding and is not a task to be undertaken lightly. The children going through the system often have emotional scarring and will need patience and understanding as well as love. Be sure you’re capable of providing this before taking that step. Also, it can be emotionally trying to have to give the children back at the end of their designated time — especially if you question the parents’ ability to care for their children. It’s one more thing to consider before deciding to apply.

Foster can be very rewarding, and it’s a very personal way to make a difference in the lives of others. Children have unique needs, and having a caring role model and caregiver can truly have an impact. If you think you’re capable of being that caring role model and caregiver, then foster parenting may be for you.

It may seem a little late in the game for this post. After all, shouldn’t you have had a game plan before you even started? But when it comes to taking charge of your health — and determining ways to address your concerns — there is a lot of trial and error. It can be hard to determine in the beginning what will work for you. You may start with the best of intentions, and decide to stick with a strict diet and exercise routine, only to find that you’re constantly “cheating” and not sticking with it. What good does that do?

So by now you should have some idea as to your style: what will work for you and what won’t. It’s time to gather up all that knowledge and figure out where to go from here:

Are you working on getting a disease or disorder under control? Are there specific steps that must be taken?

Is there something your doctor has indicated you must do to get healthy? (i.e. cut out sweets to lower your chance of getting diabetes)

What are your ultimate goals? What steps must reasonably be taken to get there?

What kind of diet restrictions do you have? How healthy can you make your diet over the long-term?

What kind of fitness regimen works best for you? What will you be able to stick with over the long-term?

The key to this is longevity – both in game plan and in life! The reason so many diets fail is because they’re not sustainable. It’s not likely you’ll be able to give up all your favorite foods for the rest of your life. But finding a diet that works for your personality and lifestyle can help you make better choices and stay healthy in the long-term. And the same applies to most health choices: exercise, getting professional help, relieving stress, etc. Unless something is truly a matter of life and death, you have flexibility in determining what you’ll do to improve, and what lifestyle changes you’ll make.

So what works? Upon evaluating your trials and errors over the past several months (or years!), what have you found that works for you? Are there changes you can live with and stick with for the foreseeable future? Determine what these changes are and how you’ll incorporate them into your life.

Remember: nothing is set in stone. If you find something doesn’t work, or you want to try something different, you can make adjustments accordingly. Just keep in mind that if the ultimate goal here is to get healthy and live longer, you want to be able to tolerate the choices that you’ll be living with — because you’ll be living with them for a while!